The UnDream
by Kota Magic
Summary: Crossover with the Klonoa games. Klonoa winds up with the Inu-tachi and must find what's causing strange things to occur between this world and the dream worlds. Rating will go up later.
1. Dream Traveler

**The Un-Dream**

**Part 1**

_Where am I? _

_What is this place? _

_Is this a dream? _

_Or have I finally woken up? _

Klonoa wearily opened his eyes, almost afraid to find out where he was. To his relief, he was alone, save for Huepow sleeping in his ring. The landscape was green with vegetation, a forest, and very peaceful. Not a sound could be heard, at least not immediately so. 

The sky suddenly turned a bloody shade of red, casting its hue on everything it touched. The air around him turned hot, and Klonoa covered his face, struggling to breathe. The immediate, powerful stench of fresh blood stung sharply in his nose, and a wave of heat washed over him before he again lost consciousness. 

********************************

"Hey!" came a child's high-pitched voice. "I think the weird youkai is waking up!" 

Again, Klonoa opened his eyes. This time, he was in a hut with a small boy peering down at him. The child's appearance was human, as far as Klonoa could tell, but the pointed ears and tiny fangs suggested that he was some sort of elf or otherwise. 

"Oh…" Klonoa sat himself up and rubbed his head. "Where… Where am I?" 

The little boy just giggled childishly. 

"You talk funny!" the child laughed. 

"_You think I talk funny?_" Klonoa wanted to say. "_You should listen to the stuff coming out of YOUR mouth!_" 

The door opened, and an older boy entered with a girl. The boy's hair was a silvery shade, and two canine ears peeked out from amidst the wild mane. He looked down at Klonoa, a mixture of anger and annoyance in his eyes. 

"What the hell kind of youkai are you?" The older boy asked gruffly. 

"Eh? Youkai?" Klonoa blinked before registering the question. "I'm not a youkai! My name is Klonoa, Klonoa of the Wind." 

"Klonoa?" the girl repeated. "What kind of a name is that?" 

"He talks kinda funny if you ask me." The little boy smirked. 

"Be quiet, Shippo!" the girl scolded. "That's not nice." 

"I don't care what your name is," the older boy sneered. "If you're not a youkai, then what the hell **are** you and what are you doing here?" 

Klonoa finally managed to get to his feet. He rubbed a ruffle of fur on his ear smooth before answering. 

"I don't know what I'm doing here," he toyed with his shirt zipper. "Only that I show up in dreams where I'm needed." 

"'Show up?'" the girl blinked. "And in dreams?" 

"Keh!" the older boy spat. "Probably after the jewel like every other youkai we run into!" 

"I told you that I'm not a youkai!" Klonoa barked back. "And what's this jewel you're talking about?" 

"The Shikon jewel, of course!" the older boy bellowed. 

"Inu Yasha! Calm down!" the girl shot the silver-haired boy a glance that quickly shut his mouth. 

"Shikon jewel?" Klonoa cocked his head curiously to one side and scratched it. "Never heard of it." 

"How can you NOT have heard of the Shikon jewel!?" Shippo's jaw hit the floor in disbelief. Klonoa shrugged. 

"Probably because I've never been to this dream world before." he replied. 

"Dream world?" it was Shippo's turn to look confused. "What do you mean by 'dream world?'" 

"Well,…uh…" Klonoa was caught speechless. "Well, it's where I come from and where I travel to. That's why in some lands, I'm called the Dream Traveler." 

"How is that possible?" the girl asked. 

"I don't know." Klonoa replied. "Just my destiny, I guess …a lonely one…" 

"Lonely?" Shippo blinked. 

Klonoa nodded. 

"I can never stay in one world for longer than I'm needed there." He explained. "I almost dread making friends anymore…'cause once I leave, I never see them again." 

"How sad…" the girl breathed. 

"It's alright… I've gotten used to it over time… WHAT THE----!?" Klonoa began looking around the room in a panicked state, desperately searching for something. "Oh no! Where is it!? Where's my-" 

"Giant ring?" Inu Yasha produced the oversized ring from its hiding place in his haori. 

"My ring!" Klonoa, relieved, reached for it, but Inu Yasha held it up too high for the shorter fellow to reach. 

"Hold on a minute!" Inu Yasha growled. "How do I know that as soon as you get this back you won't attack us?" 

"I'll give you 2 blue dream stones if you'll just give it back!" Klonoa's tone was desperate. 

"Keh!" Inu Yasha spat. "What the hell would I need dream stones for? I don't even know what they are!" 

"GIVE HIM BACK THE RING OR I'LL MAKE YOU GIVE IT BACK, YA JERK!" came a high-pitched, squeaky voice. 

"What the--?" Inu Yasha's ears swiveled in all directions, straining to pinpoint the source. 

A strong pulse of light burst from the ring, startling Inu Yasha enough to drop it. Something round and blue popped out and gave the hanyou a good whack to the head. 

"Huepow!" Klonoa's face lit up at the sight of his old friend. 

"Klonoa!" Huepow cheered. 

"Wahoo!" the two friends said together. 

"Where the hell did HE come from?" Inu Yasha grumbled. 

"The ring, stupid, where did you think I was?" Huepow raspberried. 

"First, a cat with rabbit ears, then this thing that lives inside a piece of jewelry." Inu Yasha shook his head, annoyed. "What the hell is next?" 

*********************

"I have heard of the dream worlds," said Kaede after she'd listened to the Dream Traveler's plight. "and those who live in them. But passage between this world and the dream worlds is supposed to be impossible, forbidden even! How is this happening?" 

"Klonoa-kun, you said that you find yourself in another dream world each time you wake up, am I right?" 

"Wahoo." Klonoa nodded. 

"Hmm…" Miroku's brow creased in concentration. "It must have been some odd sort of dream for you to come to the real world then." 

"A different…" Klonoa blinked. 

"…kind of dream?" Huepow finished. 

"It might not have even been a dream at all." Kaede suggested. 

"But he said he only travels through dreams!" Sango shifted her giant boomerang so that it came down rather hard on Miroku's wandering hand. "How is it possible otherwise." 

"Perhaps it was not a dream that brought him here…" Kaede spoke seriously. "but a state of consciousness…" 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I know I shouldn't be starting another fic so soon, but I've had the idea for this one floating around in my head for awhile and just had to put it up.

Haven't heard of the Klonoa game series? Where have YOU been!? Read my bio for more info on Klonoa. Oh, and if you're wondering about the whole "Wahoo" thing, it's a multi-purposeful word used in the Klonoa games. Depending on how it is pronounced, it can mean a number of different things, but it's mostly used for saying "yes." or another positive response. In future chapters, you'll probably see the other common Klonoa word, "Loopuludoo," which simply means "Let's go!"  


Contrary to popular belief among Klonoa fans, Klonoa does NOT speak Japanese, but a Japanese-like jibberish. That's why Shippo made the remark about the way Klonoa was talking. To ease things up, I made it so that Klonoa's language is very similar to real Japanese, which is how the Inu-tachi characters can understand him. 

I know I didn't leave much of a cliffhanger at the end of this chapter, but I hope it was enough to grab your attention firmly enough to come back and read the rest when I update. 

Depending on the reviews (or lack thereof) that I recieve for this fic, I may or may not continue it.

Like it? Hate it? Tell me!


	2. The Undream

**The Undream**

**Part 2**

"A state…" Miroku began.

"… of consciousness?" Sango finished for him. 

Kaede nodded slightly. 

"Being awake and asleep are not the only forms of awareness a person can be in." the old miko explained. "When one goes into a trance, for example, they are never truly awake or asleep." 

"So you're saying I came here through somebody's trance?" Klonoa blinked as he looked around at the assembled group with him. "I guess that makes sense… but now the real question is… WHOSE trance did I come through?" 

All in the room but the dream traveler turned their gaze toward the dog hanyou in their midst. Inu Yasha's response was a low, aggressive growl at them, his sharp fangs bared as a warning to back off. 

"What are you all staring at ME FOR!?" he snarled. 

"Klonoa, what did you say you saw before we found you?" Kagome's gaze did not avert from Inu Yasha. 

The dream traveler huddled uncomfortably into a ball, hugging himself nervously despite Huepow's comfort. He shuddered momentarily before answering. 

"Red…" Klonoa finally managed to utter timidly. "Everything was red… and hot… and all I could smell was blood everywhere…!!" 

"That confirms it then." Miroku sighed, shaking his head. "Klonoa must have come through when Inu Yasha transformed earlier today." 

"Transformed?" Klonoa uncurled himself slowly. 

"It's… not something…" Kagome began. 

"It's none of his business," Inu Yasha stood up suddenly and turned to the door. "And your theory's full of bullshit! I'm out of here!" 

"Inu Yasha!" Kagome called, but by then he was gone, having nearly torn the door flap from its support in his angry, hasty exit. 

"Monyo…" Klonoa twiddled his fingers, unsure of what to say. "Did I bring up something unpleasant?" 

"It's not your fault." Kagome cracked a weak smile. "It's a part of him that he really hates. Whenever Inu Yasha gets backed into a corner during battle and is without his father's sword, his youkai blood takes over and he rips his way to safety…" 

"But in doing so…" Sango put down her giant boomerang, which she had been wiping clean. "He loses his mind, and will kill anyone and anything in front of him, whether it's a friend or an enemy…" 

"That explains a lot…" the dream traveler stared into the fire. "When I came here, I remember that everything was calm and peaceful, and then it all turned red and hot…" 

"Inu Yasha has mentioned feeling his blood heating up just before shifting into that state." Miroku prodded the fire with the butt of his staff. "Perhaps you were experiencing what he was going through." 

"Inu Yasha went into that youkai state during a battle last night." said Kaede. "And Kagome says you were found not far away sometime later. There must be a connection." 

"I've got a question though." Klonoa fidgeted with his cap. "Inu Yasha asked if I was a youkai when I woke up. Isn't he one?" 

"He's only half of a demon." Kaede replied. "His mother was a human princess, and his father was a power dog youkai lord. Full demons, like Shippo and Kirara can transform and keep their minds, but the human blood in Inu Yasha makes him too weak to keep his mind when he transforms." 

"How awful!" Huepow shuddered. 

"He's really scary when he does it too!" Shippo gestured. "His eyes turn red, his fangs and claws get longer, and he gets stripes on his face like his half-brother." 

"His half-brother?" Klonoa blinked. 

"That is Sesshoumaru." Sango pulled her sleeping pet onto her lap gently. "Unlike Inu Yasha, he's a full demon, so he keeps his mind when he transforms." 

Klonoa rested his head in his hands and sighed. Demons, transformations, and now dreams that weren't really dreams. The long-eared dream traveler didn't know what to make of the real world, except that there were quite a few unpleasant things about it. 

"It's really, really creepy!" Shippo covered his face as if afraid of even remembering what he was talking about. "But it's a good thing Inu Yasha's got that rosary around his neck or we'd be in big trouble!" 

"I've been meaning to ask about that necklace." Klonoa ran his finger absentmindedly over the jewel of his ring. "Kagome, you said something to him, and it glowed when he fell down. What is that about?" 

Kagome and the others in turn explained how the rosary worked and other aspects of their adventures, hoping to find more possible causes for Klonoa's appearance in their world. Huepow and Shippo quickly became good friends, as did others with Klonoa. After a time, though, the dream traveler could not help but glance towards the door. 

"Don't worry about Inu Yasha." Miroku smiled weakly. "He'll probably come back inside after we're all asleep." 

*********************

The others had gone to bed, but Klonoa remained awake, staring at the stars from where he sat on the porch. He felt a gentle breeze brush against his ears, and he absentmindedly moved to smooth any ruffles that might have resulted. 

Huepow had chosen to sleep like the rest of the group and returned to the sanctuary of his ring. Klonoa briefly glanced at the reflection of starlight on the gem's surface before running a gloved finger over its cool surface. He then reached into his shirt and pulled pendant out into view. The dream traveler seemed hesitant to do so, but then opened it as though it took courage to do so. 

"Lolo…" he sighed. "Jiji…" 

"Aren't you going to sleep too?" came a familiar, gruff voice. 

Klonoa looked up and ahead of him to spot Inu Yasha lounging in a tree. Though he seemed relaxed enough up on his perch, the hanyou's gaze was one of steadfast alertness, a testament to his nightly routine. 

"I don't want to go to sleep." the dream traveler replied. "If I do, I might wind up someplace else again." 

"Keh!" Inu Yasha turned away sharply, disgusted. "Better off someplace else than here! Youkai here will just as soon kill you as look at you." 

Klonoa got up and approached the tree where Inu Yasha was sitting, then promptly sat down at the base of it. 

"It scared you, didn't it?" Inu Yasha uttered. 

"Huh?" 

"The heat… and the smell of blood." 

"Oh! That…" Klonoa stared off to the side and nodded. "It was terrifying, and not being able to breathe… it felt like everything was just collapsing around me…" 

"Exactly." Inu Yasha's voice was serious. "When you first started babbling about that, I thought it was just some kind of cruel joke, but now I know you're not lying." 

There was a moment of silence between them, and after while it seemed as though there would be no further conversation between them until tomorrow. Klonoa ran a gloved finger over the surface of the gemstone and it glistened in the moonlight. He closed the locket and tucked it into his shirt. 

"Inu Yasha?" 

"Hmm?" 

"Every place I go, I'm there for a reason…" 

"So? What's your point?" 

"I wanted to ask you… why do _you_ think I'm here?" 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well, there's another chapter done. Just hope that my efforts on this fic are not in vain.

Ok, I'm gonna list and define as many Klonoa words as I can remember for your reference:

**Wahoo** - Depending on how it is spoken, it can mean a number of things, from a cheer to a simple 'yes' but is not limited to those translations.

**Loopuludoo** - Basically means "Let's go"

**Papurikku** - Not too sure on this one. In the Lunatea's Veil game, Klonoa says it when he does special jumps on the surfboard levels. Best interpretation would be "Alright!" or "Cool!"

**Monyo** - Simple word to express sadness. Could also be "I'm sorry" or a nervous "Excuse me"

**Monya **- Just plain "OUCH!"


	3. Dreamer in Japanese Clothing

**The Undream**

Part 3

The following morning was a stir of grumbling, yelling, and arguments. Most of the yelling, of course, was on Inu Yasha's part. 

"He's NOT coming with us and that's that!" the hanyou growled. 

"Inu Yasha," said Miroku, his tone as cool as always. "He's clearly here because of you. It's probably not a good idea to leave him behind!" 

"It's bad enough when I have to be on the lookout for all of you wimps when we go shard hunting." Inu Yasha bellowed. "The last thing I need is this lop-eared weirdo tagging along for the ride! This is dangerous shit here, not a fucking walk in the woods!"

"I'm sure that Klonoa can make himself useful somehow or other." Kagome pleaded. 

"Like how?" 

"Well,… um…" she fumbled for a reply, and when none came, the familiar, cocky smirk materialized on Inu Yasha's face. 

"My thoughts exactly!" he scoffed. "Looks like I win and he stays!" 

"Not so fast, Inu Yasha." Sango interjected. "Why not at least give Klonoa a chance to prove himself before passing judgement?" 

"What's he gonna do?" Inu Yasha made a gesture like he was strangling himself. "Choke Naraku with that oversized ring of his?" 

"Speaking of that ring…" Sango shifted her attention to the Dream Traveler sitting on the porch. "What IS that ring all about?" 

"It fell from the sky." Klonoa explained. "and when I pulled it out of the ground, Huepow came out." 

"Does it do anything useful?" Inu Yasha said gruffly. 

Klonoa stood up and moved over to a large boulder at the side of the house. He aimed the jewel at the rock, praying a little dream prayer. 

"_By the goddess Claire, please, let this work!_" 

*CHWIT!* 

A collection of startled gasps escaped the group, and Klonoa opened his eyes, unaware that he had even closed them in the first place. There, in front of him, the boulder was surrounded in bluish-green light and firmly anchored to the ring. It would have been a normal thing for Klonoa to see if only the rock had not remained in place on the ground. 

"Wa… hoo?" he blinked, confused. "That was… different!" 

"I don't get it." Shippo scratched his head. "What'd he do?" 

"Can't you lift if up?" Huepow floated over to his friend to have a better look at the situation. Klonoa gave a hard tug on the ring, but despite all his efforts, the rock did not budge. 

"That's odd." Huepow scratched his head. "It should have levitated by itself. Things always used to do that back home." 

"Maybe that's another change between this world and ours…" Klonoa heaved again, but proved unsuccessful. "This world's probably got different gravity laws than ours does." 

"You mean you meant to pick that thing completely up by yourself?" Inu Yasha raised an eyebrow. 

"That's the way it works back home!" the Dream Traveler gave one more haul before finally relenting. 

"I wonder…" Miroku mused as he watched the scene before him. "Klonoa, would it be alright if I helped you try and lift it?" 

"Um… sure, I guess so…" The monk was weary at first to touch the glowing stone, but when he finally rested his palm on it and suffered no injury, he positioned himself to lift the rock up. 

"Ready?" he nodded to Klonoa. 

"Wahoo." came the reply. 

The monk and the Dream Traveler heaved together, and the rock came off the ground as though it was only as heavy as Kagome's backpack. Klonoa and Miroku just stood there in awe of their accomplishment. 

"Whoa!" Shippo's jaw hit the ground. 

"Amazing!" Sango remarked. 

"Even I've got to say that's weird!" Inu Yasha added. 

Satisfied with his success, Klonoa got another idea. 

"Miroku," he nodded. "Get ready to let it go." 

Eyeing an empty area, Klonoa heaved the ring around towards it and released the ring's hold on the rock. The boulder shook the ground as it slammed down hard and skid to a stop. The Dream Traveler took a moment to wipe some sweat off of his forehead. 

"You did it!" cried Huepow. 

"Yeah, but it's a lot different from the way it's done back home." Klonoa replied. "It's going to be a lot harder to using this ring outside of the dream worlds." 

"But anything that could lighten a load that much is bound to have a great variety of uses." said Miroku. 

"Do you really think so?" 

The monk nodded. "I'm sure of it." 

********************************************************************************************

A little more grumbling and an OSUWARI later, the group of shard hunters was ready to head out of the village. Uncomfortable with the stares he had been receiving, Klonoa had asked if he could have some clothing from this land to better fit in. Kaede and Kagome asked around at several houses and came back with a gray hakama and sky blue haori. 

The dream traveler was charmed to wear such a strange new style of clothing. With a little help from Shippo and Huepow, a small hole was made into the back of the hakama so that his black and white tuft of a tail could poke through. It took some practice, but eventually he was able to walk in the wooden geta sandals he had been given. Where a katana would ordinarily be strapped, Klonoa had fastened his giant ring. Kagome tucked all of the Dream Traveler's clothes into her already very stuffed sack. 

Everything seemed all set except for one problem-his two wisps of long bangs came over his face and tickled his nose. 

"And ya look funny without your hat!" Huepow added. 

"Monyo…I don't know how else to keep them out of my face." Klonoa sighed. "Maybe I should just keep my hat on…" 

"Why not tie it back in a ma-ge?" Miroku suggested, picking up Shippo and pointing to kit's tied mop of hair. 

"I don't think that would work, houshi-sama." Sango shook her head. "His hair is in the front, not the back." 

"Maybe he could tie those dumb-looking ears of his back in a ma-ge instead of his hair!" Inu Yasha snickered. 

"I am NOT tying my ears back, Inu Yasha!" Klonoa made a face at the hanyou. "After all, how am I supposed to fly if they're tied back? I'd fall to my death!" 

"YOU CAN FLY!?" the others all exclaimed at once. 

"Well, not exactly…" Klonoa blushed. "I can kinda float for a bit if I flap my ears, but they have gotten me out of some sticky situations!" 

"Weird…" Inu Yasha muttered. 

"Wow! Cool!" Shippo grinned. 

"Thought those ears might be good for something…" Miroku chuckled. 

"So how do we solve the hair dilemma?" Huepow pestered. 

"I think I might have something that'll help!" said Shippo, plunging his hand into his haori. Out came a white band of cloth, which the kit handed to the dream traveler. "Tie this around your head and see if it works!" 

"Hope that's not your fundoshi you just gave him!" Inu Yasha teased. 

"Eww!" Kagome cringed. "Inu Yasha! That's gross! Shippo, tell me that IS a real hachimaki!" 

"I'm not a jerk like Inu Yasha is!" the fox growled at the older half demon. "And yeah, Kagome, it is a hachimaki." 

Klonoa took the cloth and did as he was told. It worked. His bangs were cleared from his face and now he had the look of a native. He could easily have passed for a rabbit youkai if it weren't for the fact that his maple-leaf ear flaps were so large. 

"I doubt anyone will find anything too odd about you." said Sango. "You are, after all, traveling with us and two other youkai, so you'll probably just be assumed to be another one. No big deal, really." 

"Wahoo." Klonoa nodded. 

"As for you, Huepow," Miroku scratched his chin. "I think it would be wiser if you remained hidden inside of the ring jewel. Your very appearance is not unlike a hitodama." 

"A what?" the ring spirit landed on his head, confused. 

"It's a lost, wandering soul in the form of tuft of blue fire." Kagome explained. "It's scary to see one, and since you do kinda look like one, it'd probably be best to stay out of sight." 

Huepow groaned, but he returned to the sanctuary of the ring, causing the crystal to glow from within. 

"Where shall we head first?" Sango asked now that they were on their way. 

"There was a rumor of a demon with a shard beyond the mountains." Miroku recalled. "Of course, that'll mean we'd have to cross you-know-who's territory…" 

Inu Yasha just gave an irritated growl. 

"Who lives in the mountains," Klonoa asked Shippo discreetly. "And why do I get the feeling Inu Yasha doesn't like him?" 

"The mountains are Kouga's territory." Shippo replied. "But that's a LONG story…" 

~~~~~~~~~~~

This update's LONG overdue, but I just saw the end of Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil yesterday and got inspired to write more of this fic today. Hope somebody notices this little fic and likes it!

Now for some translations of words you may or may not be familiar with:

hakama = long, pleated trousers with wide, billowing legs; it is often mistaken for a pleated dress.

haori = A jacket-like shirt worn over the kimono. Inu Yasha wears one of these made of fire-rat fur.(basically, the top part of his clothing)

geta sandals = wooden sandals with 2 lateral slats on the bottom that are attatched to the foot with a thong. Miroku and Sango wear these.

ma-ge = frequently called the top-knot here in the states. It is the traditional hairstyle for men and women in feudal period Japan.When worn by people with long hair, it is often mistaken for a simple ponytail. Shippo, Sango, and Kouga have their hair styled this way.

fundoshi = a long strip of white cloth wrapped around the waist and between the legs. The medieval style of Japanese underwear. Sometimes you'll see men walking around wearing only their fundoshi in the summertime.

hachimaki = sometimes called the ki-ai band; a headband made of white cloth worn as a symbol of great exertion. Some are just white, but others have images or encouraging slogans on them. The most commonly seen design is of the Japanese red 'sun'.

hitodama = Spirits in the form of balls of fire that hover not too far off the ground, usually no higher than rooftops. Seeing a hitodama means that one will die soon, though death can be prevented. Though not 'firey' like a true hitodama, Huepow does resemble one enough to be mistaken for one.


	4. Running from Wolves

**The Undream**

Part 4

Inu Yasha became increasingly agitated as they headed on through the mountains. The hanyou's nose was constantly checking the air for a certain wolf youkai's scent. His ears swiveled at any sound that wasn't footsteps from the others in the group.

Klonoa wanted to learn more about this Kouga person that the half demon didn't quite take a liking to, but knew that pressing the matter would probably make matters worse. Instead, he decided to take in the sights of this world that was so different from his own. So many sights, smells, and sounds, all new to him, kept the long walk from becoming tedious. The Dream Traveler could not help but smile at the word game Shippo and Kagome were playing.

"I spy…" Kagome began.

"…with my little eye…" Shippo continued, a broad grin on his face.

"…something that starts with the letter…C!"

"Oo! Oo! I know! A cat! Our friend Klonoa's a cat!" The three of them laughed.

"Can I try one?" Klonoa smiled.

"Sure!" Kagome paused for a moment to think. Her gaze wandered to Sango and Miroku, who were walking ahead of them. Shippo seemed to get an idea from the monk and the exterminator.

"I got one!" the fox giggled. "I spy, with my little eye, something that starts with…K!"

Just then, Miroku chose that moment to give Sango's rear a tweak, earning a hard slap across the cheek.

"How about… Ka-POW?" Klonoa sweatdropped, the faintest hint of an amused smirk emerging.

"Wahoo! That was a good one!" Huepow's voice echoed from within the ring. Shippo and Kagome rocked with laughter, much to Inu Yasha's irritation.

"Will you keep it down?" he grumbled. "It's bad enough we have to walk through that wimpy wolf's territory. The last thing I need is a headache from your stupid games!"

"Oh, cut it out, Inu Yasha!" Kagome punched him lightly in the shoulder. "A little fun never killed anyone…at least not a word game."

"Oh sure!" Inu Yasha's tone turned downright sarcastic. "It's all fun and games until somebody gets IMPALED OR EATEN!! Keh!"

"Spoil sport." Kagome grumbled. Inu Yasha just feh'ed.

They continued walking on, Inu Yasha ever vigilant of the group's surroundings. Everyone suddenly froze when Inu Yasha paused and growled, the sound low in his throat.

"What is it, Inu Yasha?" Miroku tightened his grip on his shakujo.

"Is it a demon?" Sango shifted the Hiraikotsu off of her shoulders.

"I smell wolf," the hanyou replied in a low, aggressive tone. "And I don't mean just Kouga…"

"His whole pack's out here?" Shippo clung to Kagome with a vice-like grip, looking all around them for signs of danger.

"No, not that many," Inu Yasha's ears swiveled anxiously. "But enough of them to give us trouble…"

"Inu Yasha!" Kagome suddenly piped up. "I sense a Shikon shard-it's coming this way! And fast!"

"SHIT!" Inu Yasha barked, promptly scooping up Kagome into his arms. "We'll have to make a run for it!"

And they were gone, without even giving the others a chance to protest. Something was wrong, they could all sense it. It was not like Inu Yasha to take off with Kagome like that.

"W-What do we do?" Klonoa panicked.

"Hold them off, then try to catch up with Inu Yasha." was Miroku's reply.

In the distance came the howl of a fast approaching whirlwind, surrounded by the dust and dirt it kicked up. It towered before them before vanishing suddenly, leaving an agitated Kouga in its wake.

"Eh?" the wolf puzzled when he saw only the monk, the taijiya, and a strange looking youkai. "Where are dog-turd and Kagome? I bet the bastard took off as soon as he heard me coming!"

Kouga reared back to kick up more dust when Sango barred his path. The wolf growled, but the taijiya was not deterred.

"Out of the way, woman!" he glared.

"Not until you tell me what you want with Kagome this time." Sango replied.

"What business is it of yours? She's my woman, she happens to be traveling through my turf, it's only right that I check up on her."

"I highly doubt that that's all that you came for."

"Heh! What would a human like you know?"

"Plenty considering I'm a professional youkai taijiya. Now, what is it about you showing up this time that's got Inu Yasha more jumpy than usual?"

"I am curious as well." Miroku joined in. "Have you obtained some new power or another Shikon shard? Inu Yasha is normally more than willing to bicker with you."

"I'd love to tell ya, but..." Kouga suddenly jumped far over them and landed some distance down the path Inu Yasha had taken. "I've got someplace to be!"And with that, he sped off.

"Wait!" Sango yelled, but the wolf was gone. As she broke into a run, five snarling wolves barred her path, each one baring its teeth.

"Out of my way!" she swung the giant weapon widely, striking one wolf and scattering the others momentarily. Miroku blocked two that tried pouncing on him, then pushed them back with the shakujo. Klonoa was surrounded by three wolves who bore their sharp teeth murderously. The dream traveler muttered a silent prayer under his breath and took aim with the ring. It caught hold of a wolf, startling a yelp out of it, and caused it to float above him.

_"This creature must be as heavy as I am, if not lighter"_ he mused.

The one behind him leapt in for the kill, but Klonoa managed to double-jump out of the way, slamming the captured wolf into the attacker below. Without wasting a second, Klonoa snatched up the third one, swung it around, then let it fly into a nearby tree. All three wolves groaned and passed out.

"Let's go catch up to Inu Yasha and Kagome." called Miroku. "I have a feeling that there's more going on here than we know."

Far ahead of the others, Inu Yasha was running at top speed with Kagome still in his grasp. A tuft of tawny fur poking out from the red and green blur was the only indication that Shippo had been dragged along for the ride.

But for all of Inu Yasha's speed, he was no match for the whirlwind that was Kouga. The wolf youkai caught up with them quickly, leaping right in front of Inu Yasha in a twisting show of expertise.

"Oy, dog-turd!" Kouga's tail flicked in an arrogant manner. "Running through my territory without even saying hi? I'm offended!"

"Don't be too offended yet, wimpy wolf." Inu Yasha put Kagome down and cracked his knuckles. "I haven't even gotten my claws into you yet!"

"Then what are you waiting for?" Kouga egged the hanyou on, his cocky smirk letting his fangs show. "an invitation?"

"If you INSIST!" Inu Yasha leapt at the wolf with all ten claws slashing downwards. Kouga dodged the attack easily, but had to maneuver carefully to stay clear of Inu Yasha's now-drawn Tetsusaiga. The wolf knew better than to try taking any of Inu Yasha's attacks head-on, but had to silently admit that the half breed was not all that bad of a fighter. Not that Kouga would ever admit that to anyone aloud. A little carelessness earned Kouga a light scratch across his lower cheek, but that was nothing to worry about with the two Shikon shards in his legs to quickly mend that.

The two youkai punched, kicked and slashed at one another repeatedly, slowly moving further and further away from Kagome and Shippo. What the onlookers failed to notice was the pair of eyes watching them from the shrubbery behind them. Shippo hopped down out of Kagome's arms and shook his little fist at the brawlers.

"That stupid Inu Yasha!" the fox hissed. "I don't know who's the bigger idiot! Inu Yasha for being jealous or Kouga for thinking you like---"

**SMACK!**

A rock suddenly struck Shippo in the back of the head, rendering him unconscious.

"Shippo!" Kagome moved to pick the little boy up when she felt a hand and something cold and metallic (but not sharp) pressing into her back. She gasped and tried to scream, only to have the metallic nudge her sharply.

"Be quiet and you won't get hurt." said a low, serious, and masculine voice behind her. "Go where I lead you and everything will go smoothly."

"Who are you?" Kagome demanded, keeping her voice down.

"That's not important right now." her captor responded. "Move."

In a daring, yet still cooperative move, Kagome glanced over her shoulder to get a good look at who was threatening her. Her stomach lumped in her throat at the sight of a wolf, half her height, wearing a red jacket, black pants, and black boots with red straps. But his strange appearance didn't compare to the weapons being used to hold her hostage-a rather large, threatening pair of pistols!

* * *

Sorry for the lack of updates, but it's been hard getting inspiration for this story, what with Klonoa not being as popular as the GTA or Final Fantasy games. It's a shame really. The only things that got the inspirational juices flowing again were some Klonoa music (I have the Lunatea's Veil soundtrack) and a very devoted fan of Klonoa who direly begged me to continue the tale. It's also a shame that there is no Klonoa section on fanfiction.net. Please, write to the staff and tell them that a Klonoa fanfiction section is direly needed! Spread the word! Klonoa fans unite!

As usual---Like it? Hate it? Tell me!


End file.
